Tuscaloosa, Alabama – On a special day for College Football, history was made for a small-town country kid under the bright lights accept the Heisman Trophy. DeVonta Smith of Alabama was selected as the 86th winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy as the Outstanding College Football Player in the United States for 2020.
Smith was the first receiver since 1991 to hold this honor of being named the Heisman. With the great football tradition of Alabama football, he becomes only the third player from the Tide to hold this title.
Smith now joins Wide Receiver Desmond Howard (1991), Johnny Rodgers (1972) and Tim Brown (1987) as the only receiver hold this honor.
“It’s just unbelievable, just coming from a small place (Amite, LA) like that. You just really have to work day in and day out and just believe in yourself, and if don’t nobody else believe you, you just have to believe in yourself and just prove everybody wrong.” said Smith.
How much do your credit give this program who has 3 of the top 5 vote getters playing on the same team, the No. 1 team in the country who will be on display on Monday January 11th in the National Championship.
“The two main reason I came back was to get my degree and win a second national champion,” said Smith.
Smith polled 1,856 points to capture the award over Trevor Lawrence of Clemson (1,187 points), Mac Jones (1,130 points) also of Alabama and Kyle Trask (737 points) of Florida.
Smith took time to speak to the youth and inspire them to go after their dreams no matter what obstacles may lie ahead or at their feet right now.
“….to all the young kids out there that’s not the biggest, not the strongest, just keep pushing because I’m not the biggest. I’ve been doubted a lot just because of my size, and really it just comes down to you put your mind to it, you can do it,” said Smith.
Stats- caught 105 passes for 1,641 yards and 20 touchdowns including a tremendous performance in the College Football Playoff Semi-Final catching 7 passes for 130 yards and 3 touchdowns. His career receiving yards of 3,260 is highest in Alabama history. Smith also holds the SEC career record for receiving touchdowns with 40, passing the previous mark of 31 held by Amari Cooper and Chris Doering. He also owns a four- and five-touchdown game making him the only receiver in SEC history with multiple career games totaling four or more receiving touchdowns. Smith was awarded the Associated Press college football player of the year.
